Top 10 Swords and Sandals Movies Of The 21st Century (According To IMDb)

Top 10 Swords and Sandals Movies Of The 21st Century (According To IMDb)

Swords and sandals films have come a long way from their mid-19th century origins, and here are 10 of the genre’s best from the past two decades.

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Who says you can’t teach old film genres new tricks? Back in the day, this type of movie was called a “peplum flick,” a reference to the metal skirts that Roman soldiers wore. Now, the term is “sword and sandal,” since this type of movie has expanded in scope to include some interesting modern ideas. The 21st century still includes the epic Biblical retellings that defined the genre in the Golden Age of Hollywood, but the era also adopted some interesting new crossovers, settings, and interpretations.

Peplum flicks today don’t have to take place in ancient Greece or Rome. Anything that uses an ancient setting, perhaps with a touch of mythology or a reference from an ancient story, can be a part of the genre these days. Contemporary sword and sandal movies have many of the same possibilities, as fantasy films do, giving the genre a generous fan base. Twenty years into a new century, and the sword and sandal film genre has already taken some interesting turns.

10 One Night With The King (2006) – 6.1

Part Biblical epic, part historical drama, One Night with the King is based on the Biblical story of Esther. She hid her ethnic roots and posed as a bride for the Persian king, a move that eventually led to her become the queen of a vast empire.

This put her in a unique position to not only preserve her culture, but to save her people from the threat of genocide at the hands of a tyrant. This is reminiscent of a classic sword and sandal films that shone during the Golden Age of Hollywood, like Ben-Hur.

9 Outlander (2008) – 6.2

If we can have Greeks and Romans, why not Vikings? Despite sharing the same name, there’s no connection between this film and the series currently running other than a vague shared theme that involves science fiction.

Unlike the show, the movie Outlander is overt in its daring mix of ancient setting and futuristic science fiction. The story takes place in Norway at the cusp of the Iron Age and features and plot in which an alien and ancient humans unite their manpower and technology in order to battle a monster. To be fair, Monty Python had combined aliens and ancient history before, but Life of Brian is a 2oth century film.

8 300: Rise Of An Empire (2014) – 6.2

Not half as popular or noteworthy as its predecessor, 300: Rise of an Empire follows the same pattern but several copycats had already drained the life out of the concept more than 10 years later, that pattern being comprised of a lot of nudity, violence, gore, and perfect casting. It’s still lots of great fun, but not on the same level as the original film.

The dark filters and moody actors are taking themselves way too seriously, which doesn’t work in a movie that’s trying to be over the top. Part of what made 300 good, dirty fun was smart actors being in on the joke and playing it up for satire, while the actors in the sequel can’t demonstrate the same range.

7 Risen (2016) – 6.3

The popularity of Risen shows that the old-school take on the peplum flick, one that focuses on a Biblical or spiritual viewpoint, is still going strong. The story begins the same year as the resurrection of Christ and follows the path of a Roman tribunal and his aide as they first participate in the crucifixion of a certain high-profile revolutionary leader, and then search for the missing body. The main characters of the film themselves are fictional, but the investigation they took on is both possible and probable.

6 Centurion (2010) – 6.4

It’s called Hadrian’s Wall, and it’s an ancient Roman monument in northern Britain that dates back to this time period. Roman soldiers were known to disappear without a trace in these forests. There are a few movies to take on this certain ancient mystery, and this seems to be the fan-favorite. It might have something to do with the outstanding performances of the main actors, especially Olga Kurylenko as the fearsome Pict warrior Etain, who gives a compelling and moving performance without speaking a single line.

5 Battle of the Warriors (2006) – 6.7

A lot was going on in China about five thousand years ago. This was known in historic texts as the Warring States Period, a series of civil wars that lasted hundreds of years. The storyline and characters are based on a Japanese manga that was in turn based on a Japanese novel about the time period. It’s a popular literary subject in various Asian countries, an impressive chronicle that moves humanity from the beginning of time to recorded history.

There are actually a number of books, shows, and cartoons about the time of the warring states, so it doesn’t take volumes of reading to get caught up. Battle of the Warriors, also known as A Battle of Wits depending on the translation, is the most highly-rated live-action film about the story that’s not yet vintage. For those that are interested in this period of Chinese history, it’s a good place to start.

4 Troy (2004) – 7.2

Troy was always a mixed bag when it came out. Adapting a text with the same cultural, historic, and literary clout as Homer’s Illiad was a daunting task, to begin with, and, with the Greek gods conspicuously absent from the plot, it felt like something fundamental was missing.

This movie took as much flak for bad writing as it did for great acting and choreography, such as Peter O’Toole as King Priam and the realistic fight scenes. Love it or hate it, Troy seems to be aging well, maintaining a solid fan base more than 15 years later.

3 300 (2006) – 7.6

Although it fits into the genre in a more conventional way than others on this list, 300 is anything but a typical sword and sandal movie. It was based on a heavily stylized, abstractly drawn, and equally brutal comic book. It also took a lot of criticism for the way it played fast and loose with actual historic facts aside from basing the core of the story on an event that actually happened.

Despite its flaws, even the most hardened critic has to admit that it does have a lot going for it when it comes to pleasing the rabble. This is a fan-favorite that includes some amazing costumes, creative and practical special effects, a badass soundtrack, and little to fret over when it comes to right and wrong. Plus, a scantily clad Michael Fassbender can fly. Sweet.

2 Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)

India has a long history that stretches well back into the time of Greece and China, and the romantic landscape makes for some amazing cinematography. Bollywood went mainstream a decade ago, and there are several films to choose from when it comes to depictions of ancient history. Despite what the title suggests, Baahubali: The Beginning is part two of a trilogy that derives its plot from both fact and mythology.

The movie tells an epic story of two bitterly warring states and the child that is destined to make peace between them. It takes place in the Kingdom of Mahishmati, which was believed to be located along the banks of the Narmada River in ancient times. The exact location was lost in the 13th century.

1 Gladiator (2000) – 8.5

Gladiator turns 20 this year and that hasn’t made a dent in its popularity or critical acclaim. So, what if it’s a condensed retelling of an epic 20th-century peplum flick but relies a lot more heavily on emotional manipulation and action sequences than it’s heady predecessor? Compare The Fall of the Roman Empire with this updated version, and it’s easy to see where the evolution of the sword and sandal film has gone, and there’s as much positive as there is negative. Not so ironically, that seems to be integrated into the theme of spectacle over substance that both movies still share.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/best-swords-sandals-movies-this-century-imdb/

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